Fresh Pasta for Two People

By
Janet A. Zimmerman
Janet A. Zimmerman
An award-winning food writer, cooking instructor, and author of five cookbooks. She focuses on dinners for two and date night cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/23/24
Tested by
Kayla Hoang
Photo of Kayla Hoang
Tested by Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker whose Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots influence all she does. Her life revolves around food and she can almost always be found waiting by the oven for a fresh batch of cookies.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Pasta dough sheet and fresh pasta next to pasta roller

The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 2 mins
Total: 32 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Homemade pasta is not as difficult as you might think, especially when you're serving just two people. This homemade pasta recipe is a perfect size, and the smaller the batch, the easier it is to make. A simple dough of flour, egg, and oil is made first, and then it is run through a pasta roller, either hand-cranked or electric. If you have not used your machine much, this is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with it; all it takes is practice and patience.

You can use this recipe to make any pasta style you like, from spaghetti to linguine and lasagna to ravioli. It's a versatile recipe and a fun project to cook with your partner.

What You'll Need to Make This Fresh Pasta Recipe
A Zippy Food Processor
A Fabulous Pasta Maker
A Handy Dandy Pasta Pot

"If you’ve never made fresh pasta before, this is a great recipe to start with. This pasta dough is super easy to work with and doesn’t require any extended periods of rest. The fresh pasta cooks quickly and tastes delicious. Just be sure to generously salt your boiling water since there’s no salt in the dough." —Kayla Hoang

Fresh Pasta for Two Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons extra for rolling pasta

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon water, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Pasta Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for fresh pasta recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  2. Place 3/4 cup of the flour, the egg, and oil in the bowl of a small food processor.

    Eggs, flour, and oil in a food processor

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  3. Pulse until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. The mixture will look dry like very small pebbles, but it should hold together when pinched between your fingers. If it doesn't, add about 1/2 teaspoon of water and pulse again. 

    Pasta dough holding together after mixing in the food processor

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  4. Dump the mixture out onto a board and press into a ball.

    Pasta dough shaped into a ball

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  5. Knead briefly until the dough holds together and becomes slightly smoother.

    Pasta dough being kneaded with two hands on a lightly floured work surface

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  6. Flatten the ball into an oval shape and dust both sides lightly with flour.

    Smooth oval-shaped pasta dough ball lightly dusted with flour

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

Form Into Pasta

  1. Set the pasta roller on the widest setting (usually setting number 1). Feed the oval of dough through the roller. Don't worry if it tears a little (but it shouldn't fall apart).

    Thick pasta dough being passed through a pasta roller

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  2. Fold the strip of dough into thirds and press it together.

    Pasta dough folded into thirds next to a pasta roller

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  3. Continue feeding the dough through the roller and folding it into thirds several times, rotating the dough so that the rough edges feed through first. Dust with flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

    Folded pasta dough being passed through the pasta roller

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  4. When the dough is very smooth and elastic, change the setting to the second widest setting (usually number 2). Feed the dough through twice; do not fold the dough from this point on.

    If you like, cut the strip of dough in half and work with one half at a time. Cover the second piece with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.

    Pasta dough sheet being passed through the pasta roller

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  5. Set the roller one setting thinner and feed the dough through. Continue feeding and advancing the roller setting one notch each time, until you're at the next-to-last setting.

    The dough should be thin but not transparent. Depending on how you like your pasta and what you're using it for, you may want to roll it through on the last setting as well. If the dough is at all sticky at any point, sprinkle it lightly with flour. 

    If you had cut the dough in half, repeat these steps with the second piece of dough, beginning at setting number 2 on your roller.

    Thin pasta dough sheet being passed through the pasta roller

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

  6. Cut the pasta however you like—either on a board or with the pasta machine's noodle-cutting attachment—or use the sheets for lasagna or to make ravioli. When making noodles, spaghetti, linguine, or the like, you can either cook the pasta right away or let it sit in a single layer on a lightly floured board or parchment-lined sheet pan until you're ready to cook it.

    Pasta dough being cut into strips with a large knife

    The Spruce Eats / Tara Omidvar

Tip

If you don't have a food processor, mix the ingredients together with a hand mixer or large spoon until thoroughly incorporated. There are those who claim that the only "authentic" way to mix pasta is to make a well with the flour, add the egg, and mix by hand. This method can be messy and inefficient but feel free to try it.

How to Cook the Pasta

  • If the pasta was left to rest, it will have dried out slightly, so be careful not to break the noodles.
  • If you're cooking it fresh, it will take about 1 minute to 90 seconds to cook in boiling salted water. If you let the pasta dry slightly, it will take about 2 minutes.
  • If you're using the pasta in ravioli or lasagna, either use it right away or cover it with plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255 Calories
5g Fat
42g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 93mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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